OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Erskine, MN 56535

Erskine: median income $65,536, home value $233,600, $336/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lake Preston, SD 57249 94%237$63,182$193,300— cheaper homes ($40K less)
Centuria, WI 54824 92%225$67,148$225,400$266 Very close on everything we compare
Liberty, PA 16930 91%1,017$71,111$197,800— cheaper homes ($36K less)
Friendsville, PA 18818 91%1,054$62,917$240,400$212 Very close on everything we compare
Montezuma, IA 50171 91%453$65,000$216,000$269 larger · older residents
Moore, ID 83255 91%882$70,714$283,200$340 pricier homes ($50K more) · more homeowners
Lisbon, NH 03585 90%1,178$68,594$233,700$250 larger
Strattanville, PA 16258 90%935$55,188$183,800— cheaper homes ($50K less)
Willards, MD 21874 90%1,218$78,393$236,700$306 Very close on everything we compare
Edgemont, SD 57735 90%483$71,576$165,600— cheaper homes ($68K less)
Turtle Lake, WI 54889 89%239$77,143$257,100$288 larger
Weyauwega, WI 54983 89%410$71,094$229,700$251 larger
Broadus, MT 59317 89%470$71,250$197,400— cheaper homes ($36K less) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Noxon, MT 59853 89%918$60,417$293,300$309 pricier homes ($60K more)
Searsport, ME 04974 88%1,310$64,303$224,400$290 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Conneautville, PA 16406 88%869$65,911$186,800$279 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger
Clayton, WI 54004 88%246$68,182$240,600$345 larger · more homeowners
Wilbur, WA 99185 88%1,051$73,094$248,100$231 older homes
Hinsdale, MA 01235 87%1,172$79,327$267,500$280 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger
Harrisville, PA 16038 87%907$72,850$175,000$281 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Mount Pleasant Mills, PA 17853 87%1,052$63,787$225,900$279 larger
Pine Level, NC 27568 87%1,239$66,071$230,800— younger residents
Lena, WI 54139 87%422$78,013$209,800$265 larger
Milbridge, ME 04658 86%1,357$60,536$240,400$262 5 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Wolcott, VT 05680 86%1,143$72,917$227,700$267 larger

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.